2015 Baseball America Draft Coverage

[TheCrew07]

Draft Notes: Injuries Sideline Kirby, Brusa

April 21, 2015 by John Manuel

[TheCrew07]

Subscriber content featuring Cole Sands who's brother Carson was drafted by the Cubs last year.

 

Sands Blazes His Own Path, But Hopes To Match His Brother’s Draft Success

April 28, 2015 by Teddy Cahill

[TheCrew07]

Lack Of Consensus Defines The 2015 Draft Class

April 24, 2015 by John Manuel

[TheCrew07]

College Draft Prospects Stat Roundup: Week 11

April 28, 2015 by Hudson Belinsky

[TheCrew07]

College Draft Prospects Stat Roundup: Week 12

May 5, 2015 by Hudson Belinsky

[TheCrew07]

High School Draft Prospects Shine As Playoffs Start In Georgia

May 2, 2015 by Teddy Cahill and Hudson Belinsky

[TheCrew07]

Video!

 

Prospect Watch: Nathan Kirby

May 5, 2015 by Staff Report

[TheCrew07]

Maikel Caceres Leaves Cuba To Pursue MLB Deal

May 5, 2015 by Ben Badler

[TheCrew07]

Interesting...

 

Two-Sport Star Murray Opts Out Of The Draft

May 6, 2015 by Teddy Cahill

[TheCrew07]

Injuries, Lack Of Track Record Scramble 2015 Draft Class

May 7, 2015 by John Manuel

[splitterpfj]

Injuries, Lack Of Track Record Scramble 2015 Draft Class

May 7, 2015 by John Manuel

 

This article touches on some interesting points. Yes, this year's draft is a tough read, because of all the injuries, and because there's not a lot of separation this year - not a lot of, "gotta have him" types.

 

I mentioned in another thread, the Braves became much more interesting as they continued to add bonus pool money. They have three early picks this year, and plenty of cash to pay them with. If they want to, that's a team that could definitely take a chance on a guy like Aiken, if he's available to them. They could pay a "high risk/high reward" player, and still have two picks to go the, "safe route" with.

 

Houston, with their two early picks, is sitting pretty too, because, again, of the bonus pool money assigned to those picks. In baseball's unnecessarily complex draft process, the slotting money is a huge deal. Last year, having that extra early pick from the Competitive Balance Draft, gave the Brewers the opportunity to take some riskier, more athletic guys than we had grown accustomed to. The Brewers had enough chips on the table to go for guys like Gatewood and Harrison, who they knew they had to pay, and they knew were both projects with enough raw skill to hope for a true stud in five years.

 

I think this draft offers a good number of middle infielders, and I think it's deep in pitching too, I would bet at least 20 of the 26 first round picks are pitchers, shortstops, or second basemen. If you're a catcher, a corner infielder, or an outfielder having a strong season right now, you're in great shape!

[TheCrew07]

MLB Mock Draft 2015: Version 1.0

May 8, 2015 by John Manuel

 

15. Brewers

 

Milwaukee has scouts with long histories with Michigan prep outfielder Nick Plummer, who has shaken off a bout of mononucleosis this spring. If Plummer doesn’t finish strong and they get cold feet, the Brewers could audible to a college arm who performed well in the Cape Cod League last summer like Buehler, whose velocity has been fine this spring after a late start.

 

Selection: Nick Plummer, of, Brother Rice HS, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

[Eye Black]

MLB Mock Draft 2015: Version 2.0

May 15, 2015 by John Manuel

 

15. Brewers

 

The manager already has been fired in Milwaukee, and there are rumblings about more changes. That’s the kind of situation that leads a team to play it safe with a college arm. Scouting director Ray Montgomery was on hand Friday to see Funkhouser, who wasn’t great but whose track record is good enough. That might scare them away from the prep outfielder class.

 

Selection: Kyle Funkhouser, rhp, Louisville

[splitterpfj]

Eye Black, there is no doubt, if Funkhouser falls to the Brewers, he'll get real consideration. He has been up and down a bit, but again, this is a player who was thought to be ahead of the Brewers' pick a couple of weeks ago.

 

The crystal ball is extra cloudy this year, the concept of the "safe pick" seems a bit silly to me in a year with fewer, "sure things." Look at Tyler Jay, "Is he a starter or a reliever?", has turned into, "He'll go in the top ten." Meanwhile, Funkhouser, projected in the top ten for quite a while, may slide right on past the Brewers.

 

EDIT: Why do I think the Brewers' pick will be criticized more than not when it is announced? With no consensus, players moving all over the place, the Brewers could easily take a guy none of us really expected.

[nate82]

Funkhouser would be an awesome pick just because of the name.

[molitor fan]

I am a big believer in WHIP being an indicator of future success and Kaprielian of UCLA looks to me to be a much better pick than Funkhouser from a stat based perspective....would love to hear from Colby or others regarding any first hand accounts.....

[TheCrew07]

This draft is shaping up to be irritating... Tyler Jay is the #1 overall in this most recent edition, the Brewers select Kyle Funkhouser, rhp, Louisville with the pitchers I like more still on board (other than Jay).

 

MLB Mock Draft 2015: Version 3.0

May 22, 2015 by John Manuel

[TheCrew07]

Other Draft articles lumped together as I'm catching up.

 

In Uncertain Draft Class, UNC’s Bolt Fits In

May 20, 2015 by John Manuel

 

Three Strikes: Week 14

May 19, 2015 by Staff Report

 

With Draft Nearing, Players See Stock Go Up And Down

May 18, 2015 by Teddy Cahill

 

Hooper Prevails In Bay Area Duel With DeMers

May 15, 2015 by Mike Lemaire

 

Game Report: Jackson Kowar Throws One-Hit Shutout

May 13, 2015 by Hudson Belinsky

[TheCrew07]

This is important enough to stand on it's own.

 

2015 Draft: The BA 500

[TheCrew07]

This draft is shaping up to be irritating... Tyler Jay is the #1 overall in this most recent edition, the Brewers select Kyle Funkhouser, rhp, Louisville with the pitchers I like more still on board (other than Jay).

 

MLB Mock Draft 2015: Version 3.0

May 22, 2015 by John Manuel

 

 

edit: In case someone asks this is my primary issue with Funkhouser taken from his BA scouting report:

... Funkhouser's control is well below average for a first-round college arm...

 

Just say no to control projects!

[TheCrew07]

Organizations skimping on player development is nothing new but this was a very interesting article.

 

Royals Got Bargain-Bin Scores In 2003

May 25, 2015 by J.J. Cooper

[TheCrew07]

MLB Mock Draft 2015: Version 4.0

May 29, 2015 by John Manuel

 

15. Brewers

Last year’s high-risk draft is off to a slow start, particularly toolshed bats Monte Harrison and Jacob Gatewood. Milwaukee would like to go with a higher-floor pick, and if Harris is available, he’s the selection over the falling Funkhouser, whom the organization’s top scouts saw throw poorly the last two weekends.

 

Selection: Jon Harris, rhp, Missouri State

 

Color me uninspired if it goes this way.

[Raw Biz]

MLB Mock Draft 2015: Version 4.0

May 29, 2015 by John Manuel

 

15. Brewers

Last year’s high-risk draft is off to a slow start, particularly toolshed bats Monte Harrison and Jacob Gatewood. Milwaukee would like to go with a higher-floor pick, and if Harris is available, he’s the selection over the falling Funkhouser, whom the organization’s top scouts saw throw poorly the last two weekends.

 

Selection: Jon Harris, rhp, Missouri State

 

Color me uninspired if it goes this way.

 

There it is. The dreaded "high floor." That's fine if you are already full of high-impact talent but the Brewers aren't.

[narwhalattack]

Well of course Harrison and Gatewood are struggling- they're facing competition that is very advanced for their age. That really shouldn't be a reason why they would go for a high-floor pick.

 

Come to think of it, in most years the Brewers are predicted to go with high-floor players. I wonder if folks are still judging the Brewers based on the early-Seid era.

[TheCrew07]

Prep Arms Hoeing, Thompson Need Elbow Surgery

May 29, 2015 by J.J. Cooper